In a conventional image forming device employing an electrophotographic system, a cleaning blade including a blade member has been disposed around a photoreceptor, the blade member has been in sliding contact with the photoreceptor, and residual toner remaining on the surface of the photoreceptor is removed by scraping off. For the material of the blade member, a flexible and relatively inexpensive polyurethane rubber is generally used. The cleaning blade generally has various functions for a reduction in frictional force with the photoreceptor.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a blade for an electrophotographic device, in which a flexible diamond-like carbon film (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as “FDLC film”) is formed on a contact portion of an elastomer made of a polyurethane rubber, with a counterpart member, by the plasma CVD method.